first fruits were alwaies offred at their Pentecost But omitting farther proofes I proceed to shew the ground why in this heaue-offering of the floore at least a sixtieth part was prescribed it is grounded vpon that of the Prophet Ezekiel This is the oblation that yee shall offer the sixth part of an Ephah out of an Homer Ezek. 45. 13. that is the sixtieth part of the whole because an Homer containeth ten Ephahs Hence they tooke that distinction of these offrings * Solom Iarchi Deut. 18. 4. Item Hieronym in Ezek. 45. Fol. 260 Some say they gaue the fortieth part of their increase this because it was the greatest quantity giuen in this kinde of oblations they termed h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therumagnaijn iapha Theruma Oculi boni the oblation of a faire eye others though they were not so liberall as the former yet that they might not be reputed niggardly gaue a fiftieth part and this they termed i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theruma benonith Theruma mediana the oblation of a middle eye others whom they reputed sordid gaue iust the sixtieth part lesse than which they could not giue this they termed k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theruma gnaijn ragna Theruma oculi mali the oblation of an euill eye so that the payment of these was bounded by the tradition of the Elders betweene the sixtieth and the fortieth part but the l Epiphan contr Pharis pag. 11. Pharises that they might be holy aboue others made their bounds the fiftieth and the thirtieth part so that he was reputed sordid with them that paid the fiftieth part and none liberall except he paid the thirtieth The manner how these first fruits termed Biccurim were paid is at large set downe Deut. 26. But in time of the Prophets other Ceremonies seeme to haue beene receiued of which the Hebrew Doctors say thus m Maimonid in Riccurim cap. 4. §. 16. When they caried vp their first fruits all the cities that were in a Countie gathered together to the chiefe citie of the Countie to the end that they might not goe vp alone for it is said In the multitude of people is the Kings honour Prou. 14. 28. And they came and lodged all night in the streets of the citie and went not into houses for feare of pollution and in the morning the Gouernour said Arise and let vs goe vp to Sion the citie of the Lord our God And before them went a bull which had his hornes couered with gold and an Oliue garland on his head to signifie the first fruits of the seuen kinds of fruits There was likewise a pipe strooke vp before them vntill they came neere to Ierusalem and all the way as they went they sang I reioyced in them that said vnto me We will goe into the house of the Lord c. Psal 122. Vnto this and other like manner of solemne assemblies the Prophet hath reference saying Yee shall haue a song as in the night when an holy solemnity is kept and gladnesse of heart as when one goeth with a pipe to come vnto the mountaine of the Lord Esa 30. 29. The first-lings or first-borne of man and beast the Lord challenged as his owne Exod. 13. The ground of this law was because God smote all the first-borne in Egypt from man to beast but spared the Israelites for a perpetuall memory of which benefit hee commanded them to sanctifie all their first-borne males vnto him Now the first-borne of men and vncleane beasts were redeemed for fiue siluer shekels of the Sanctuary paid vnto the Priests for each of them Num. 18. 15 16. Vnto this Saint Peter alludeth saying We are not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold 1 Pet. 1. 18. The firstlings of cleane beasts ought to be sacrificed their bloud to bee sprinkled on the altar their fat to bee burnt for a burnt offering and their flesh to returne to the Priests Obserue how God would bee honoured by the firstlings of men and cattell by the first fruits of trees and of the earth in the sheafe in the threshing floore in the dough in the leaues All which teach vs to consecrate the first and prime of our yeeres vnto the Lord. CHAP. III. Of tithes WE are here to enquire First what things in generall were titheable Secondly how many kindes of tithes there were Thirdly the time when each sort of tithe began to be titheable First their yeerely increase was either cattell fruits of the trees or fruits of the land of a Vid. Sixtin Amama de decimis all these they payed tithes euen to mint anise and cummine These things they ought not to leaue vndone Mat. 23. 23. Secondly the sorts of tithes payed out of the fruits both of the trees and the land by the husbandman were two payed in this manner When the haruest had beene ended and all gathered then the husbandman laid aside his great Theruma otherwise called the first fruits of his threshing floore of which it hath beene spoken in the Chapter of first-fruits This being done then out of the remainder hee paied a tenth part vnto the Leuites and this they termed * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnasher rischon the first tithe Tob. 1. 7. this was alwaies paied in kinde and as it seemeth to me it was not brought vp to Ierusalem by the husbandman b Decimae primae necissario aut a colono ipsoa aut eiuâ— vicariâ— Hierosoâ—ymas deport nâ—ae erant Sixtin Amama de decimis others thinke otherwise but paied vnto the Leuites in the seuerall cities of tillage Nehem. 10. 37. out of this first tithe the Leuites payed a tenth portion vnto the Priests this they termed * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnasher min hammagnasher the tithe of the tithes Nehem. 10. 38. and Decima sanctitatum the tithe of holy things 2 Chron. 31. 6. this the Leuites brought vp to the house of God Nehem. 10. 38. When the Leuites had payed this tenth portion vnto the Priests then the Leuites and their families might eat the remainder of the first tithe in any place euen out of Ierusalem Num. 18. 31. This first tithe being payed the husbandman payed out of that which remained a second tithe this the husbandman might pay in kinde if he pleased or if he would he might by way of commutation pay the worth thereof in money but when he payed in money he added a fifth part so that what in kinde was ten in the hundred that changed into money was twelue in the hundred This the husbandman brought vp vnto Ierusalem and made a kinde of loue-feast therewith vnto which hee inuited the Priests and Leuites onely euery third yeere hee caried it not to Ierusalem but spent it at home within his owne gates vpon the Leuites the fatherlesse the widowes and the poore Deut. 14. 18. c Moses Kotsens tract de ceciâ— a secunda Fol. 199. They reckoned their third yeere from the Sabbaticall yeere
for the body whereas they are not but medicine for the soule As it is written Prou. 3. 22. They shall be life vnto thy soule Of this sort was that whereof m Bodin Mag. daemon lib. 2. cap. 1. Bodinus speaketh That a childe by saying a certaine verse out of the Psalmes hindred a woman that she could not make her butter by reciting the same verse backward hee made her Butter come presently The fifth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schoel Ob a consulter with Ob or with familiar spirits Ob signifieth properly a Bottle and is applied in diuers places of Scripture to Magicians because they being possessed with an euill spirit speake with a soft hollow voice as out of a Bottle The Greek calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n Chrysostom 1 Cor. 12. Tertullian adu Marcion lib. 4. cap. 25. Ventriloquos such whose voice seemeth to proceed out of their belly Such a Diuiner was the Damosell Acts 16. 16. in o August 2. de doctr Christ ca. 23. Saint Augustins iudgement and is probably thought so by most Expositors who are of opinion that the spirit of Python with which this Damosell was possessed is the same which the spirit Ob was amongst the Hebrews Hence the Witch of Endor whom Saul requested to raise vp Samuel is said in Hebrew to haue consulted with Ob but among the Latine Expositors she is commonly translated Pythonissa one possessed with the spirit of Python The sixth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liddegnoni A wizard in the Greeke hee is translated sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cunning man In both languages hee had his name from knowledge which either the wizard professed himselfe to haue or the common people thought him to haue The Rabbies say he was so called in Hebrew from a certaine beast named by them p P. Fag Leuit. 19. Verum Athenaeus bestiam hanc vocat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. Bodin Mag. daemon lib. 1. cap. 6. p. 89. Iadua in shape resembling a man because these wizards when they did vtter their prophecies held a bone of this beast betweene their teeth This haply might bee some diabolicall Sacrament or ceremonie vsed for the confirmation of the league betweene Satan and the wizard q Perer. de Mag. p. 57. Profane history mentioneth diuinations of the like kinde as that Magicians were wont to eat the principall parts and members of such beasts which they deemed propheticall thinking thereby that by a kinde of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soule of such beasts would bee conueyed into their bodies whereby they might be enabled for prophecy The seuenth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doresch el hammethim the Greeke answereth word for word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An inquirer of the dead a Necromancer Such diuiners consulted with Satan in the shape of a dead man A memorable example wee finde recorded 1 Sam. 28. There King Saul about to warre with the Philistims God denying to answer him either by dreames or by Vrim or by Prophets vpon the fame of the Witch of Endor he repaired to her demanding that Samuel might bee raised vp from the dead to tell him the issue of the warre Now that this was not in truth Samuel is easily euinced both by testimonies of the learned and reasons First it is improbable that God who had denied to answer him by any ordinary meanes should now deigne him an answer so extraordinary Secondly no Witch or Deuill can disturbe the bodies or soules of such as die in the Lord because they rest from their labours Reu. 14. 14. Thirdly if it had beene Samuel he would doubtlesse haue reproued Saul for consulting with Witches The eighth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scoel maklo A consulter with his staffe Hos 4. 12. Ierome saith the manner of this diuination was thus That if the doubt were betweene two or three cities which first should be assaulted to determine this they wrote the names of the cities vpon certaine staues or arrowes which being shaked in a quiuer together the first that was pulled out determined the citie r Vid. Drus in Deut. pag. 592. Others deliuer the manner of this consultation to haue beene thus The consulter measured his staffe by spans or by the length of his finger saying as he measured I will goe I will not goe I will doe such a thing I will not doe it and as the last spanne fell out so he determined This was termed by the Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diuination by rods or arrowes The ninth was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Roebaccabed a diuiner by intralls Ezek. 21. 21. Nebucadnezar being to make warre both with the Iewes and the Ammonites and doubting in the way against whether of these he should make his first onset First he consulted with his arrowes staues of which hath beene spoken immediately before Secondly he consulted with the intralls of beasts This practise was generally receiued among the Heathens and because the liuer was the principall member obserued it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consultation with the liuer Three things were obserued in this kinde of diuination First the colour of the intralls whether they were all well coloured Secondly their place whether none were displaced Thirdly the number whether none were wanting among those that were wanting the want of the liuer or the heart chiefly presaged ill That day when Iulius Caesar was slaine it is storied that in two fat Oxen then sacrificed the heart was wanting in them both THE FIFTH BOOKE Of their Consistories CHA. 1. Their courts of iudgement especially their Ecclesiasticall Consistory THere were in Israel distinct courts consisting of distinct persons the one principally for Church businesses the other for affaires in the common wealth the one an a Iunius analyt expos Deut. 17. Ecclesiasticall Consistory the other a Ciuill iudicatory of these and their seuerall censures and punishments it remaineth now to be spoken These different Consistories or Courts o iustice we finde first distinguisht Deut. 17. 12. He which will not hearken vnto the Priest or vnto the Iudge Where the people of Israel are directed in what cases and to what persons they should make their appeales from inferior courts Namely to the Priest in matters spirituall or ceremoniall and to the Iudge in matters ciuill or criminall These two Courts are more plainely distinguished 2 Chron 19. where Iehosaphat reforming many abuses in Church and Common-Wealth first appointed throughout all the fenced cities of Iudah secular Iudges to determine criminall causes vers 5. And at Ierusalem he appointed a spiritual Court consisting of Leuits Priests and the chiefe Fathers of Israel vers 8. And in causes spirituall for the Lord Amariah the high Priest was chiefe in causes criminall for the King Zebediah was chiefe vers 11. likewise the Prophet Ieremiah is condemned to die by the consistory of Priests Ier. 26. 8. But by the consistory of the
Moses and Aaron CIVIL AND ECCLESIASTICAL RITES VSED BY THE ancient HEBREWES obserued and at large opened for the clearing of many obscure Texts thorowout the whole SCRIPTVRE HEREIN LIKEWISE IS SHEWED WHAT CVSTOMES THE HEBREWES borrowed from Heathen people And that many Heathenish customes originally haue beene vnwarrantable imitations of the HEBREWES By Thomas Godwyn B. D. LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland 1625. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WILLIAM Earle of Pembroke Lo. Chamberlaine of his Maiesties Houshold Lo. Warden of the Stanneries Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Councell and Chancellor of the famous Vniuersitie of OXFORD All Grace and Happinesse Right Honourable THat many haue no better acquaintance with Christ and his Apostles is because they are such strangers with Moses and Aaron were customes antiquated thorowly knowne many difficulties in Scripture would appeare elegancies and the places which now through obscuritie dishearten the Reader would then become sweet inuitements to an vnwearied assiduitie in perusing those sacred Oracles If my present labours shall giue such light to some obscure passages that thereby Gods people shall be drawne on with the greater delight to exercise themselues in reading of Holy Writ it shall not repent me of my tedious trauell in these rites and customes of Generations long since past which whosoeuer vndertaketh shall finde the way long and thornie the path ouergrowne and hardly discerneable the Guides few to direct and those speaking in strange languages and many apt to disccurage him because themselues are either lazie and will not or lame and cannot walke the same way But now through Gods assistance being come to the end of my iourney the discoueries made on the way such as they are and such some are as not obserued before humbly craue your Lordships protection From Kensington Feb. 21. 1624. Your Honours in all dutie and seruice deuoted THO. GODWYN THE ARGVMENT OF EACH BOOKE AND Chapter The first Booke Of Persons Chap. 1. THE forme of their Common-wealth till Christ and when the Scepter departed 2. Publicans their office who the chiefe 3. Proselytes who how made 4. Kings why Pilat clad Christ in purple Herod in white 5. High Priest Priests Leuites Nethinims 6. Prophets who the Wise-man Scribe and Disputer mentioned 1 Cor. 1. 20. 7. The title Rabbi when how to whom giuen 8. Nazarites and Rechabites 9. Assideans difference betweene the Righteous and Good man mentioned Rom. 5. 7. 10. Pharises whence their name when they began what their Dogmata 11. Sadduces whence their name when they began what their Dogmata 12. Essenes whence their name when they began what their Dogmata 13. Gaulonitae and Herodians what they were The second Booke Of Places Chap. 1. THeir Temple how fortie six yeeres building why certaine Psalmes are entituled Graduales Songs of degrees 2. Synagogues Schooles Houses of prayer why their School◠preferred aboue their Temple 3. Gates of Ierusalem 4. Groues and High places 5. Cities of Refuge The third Booke Of Dayes Times and Feasts Chap. 1. THeir dayes houres weekes yeeres 2. Their manner of feasting salutations blessings cup of blessing 3. Their Sabbath a Sabbath dayes iourney how much and whence 4. Their Passeouer and feast of vnleauened bread how a soule cut off from Israel 5. Their Pentecost what the second-first Sabbath was Luk. 6. 1. 6. Their feast of Tabernacles Hosanna and Hosanna Rabba 7. Their feast of Trumpets their New-Moones Translation of feasts 8. Their feast of Expiation what meant by the filth of the world and the off-scowring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 13. 9. Their Sabbaticall yeere 10. Their Iubile their vse thereof 11. Their feast of Purim and feast of Dedication The fourth Booke Of their Idolatrie Chap. 1. THe beginnings of Idolatrie 2. Moloch Adram-Melech Anam-Melech Baal the Tabernacle of Moloch c. 3. Baal Peor Baal Tsephon Baal-Zebub Baal-Berith Bel and the Dragon 4. Dagon 5. The Molten Calfe 6. Astaroth Ammonia Iuno the Queene of Heauen Diana of the Ephesians 7. Other Idol-gods mentioned in Scripture 8. Sorts of diuine reuelation Vrim and Thummim 9. Teraphim what they were 10. Sorts of Diuination forbidden The fifth Booke Of their Consistories Chap. 1. COurts of Iudgement their Ecclesiasticall Consistorie 2. Sorts of Excommunication 3. Ciuill Consistories what persons necessarily present what meant by the Magistrate Iudge and Officer Luk. 12. 58. 4. The number of their Ciuill Courts what meant by a Councell Iudgement Fire of Gehenna Mat. 5. 5. Manner of electing Iudges 6. Ceremonies common in all capitall iudgements whence that phrase came His bloud be on vs and our children 7. Their capitall punishments what they were 8. Punishments not capitall 9. Punishments borrowed from other Nations whether Saint Paul fought with beasts at Ephesus The sixth Booke Of Miscellaneous Rites Chap. 1. CIrcumcision whence the vse of God-fathers in Baptisme 2. First-fruits Firstlings First-borne 3. Sorts of Tithes manner of paying them 4. Mariages and Diuorces copies of their Dowrie-bill and bill of Diuorce What meant by power on the womans head 1 Cor. 11. 10. 5. Burialls manner of embalming manner of their Sepulchers What meant by baptization of the dead 1 Cor. 15. 9. 6. Of their Oathes 7. Of their writing their Masorites and their worke 8. Israels pitching of their tents or of their camps 9. Their Measures 10. Their coines first of brasen coines siluer coines and gold coines Faults escaped in the marginall Quotations Pag. 31. reade Elias pag. 52. reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 111. reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 112. reade prec p. 115. reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 186. reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 186. reade R. Dau. p. 200. reade Tiraquel Faults in the Booke escaped PAg. 21. reade Lieutenants p. 43. reade Scripturarij p. 69. reade Iehu p. 105. reade Siuan p. 123. Though remote was left out in the printing but inserted with a pen. p. 178. reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 182. reade Thensa p. 182. reade Thensa p. 191. reade Gods to be made p. 259. reade Nauicula p. 189. reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 330. reade Manch of gold p. 330. reade Manch of siluer p. 296. reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 319. reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. ibid. A pace MOSES and AARON THE FIRST BOOKE treateth of Persons CHAP. I. Of the forme of the Hebrewes Common-wealth vntill Christ his comming and when the Scepter departed from them THe forme and state of gouernment hath beene subiect to change variation amongst all Nations but especially amongst the Iewes wher these changes are obserueable At first the Fathers of their seuerall families and their First-borne after them exercised all kinde of gouernment both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill being both Kings and Priests in their owne houses They had power ouer their owne families to blesse curse cast out of doores disinherit and to punish with death as is apparent by these examples of Noah towards Cham Gen.
second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chetupha Surreptitium The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ketugna Sectile quasi in duas partes sectum per oscitantiam CHAP. III. Of the Gates of Ierusalem THe gates of the whole circuit of the a Sheindler pentaglot wall about Ierusalem were 9. The sheepe-gate Nehem. 3. 1. This was neare the Temple and through it weare lead the sheepe which were to bee sacrificed being washed in the poole Bethesda neare the gate The fish-gate Neh. 3. 3. before this Iudas is thought to haue hanged himselfe b Stukius conuiu lib. 2. c. 11. Some thinke that these two gates and likewise the horse-gate Nehem 3. 28. were so called because they were in manner of three seuerall market places and at the one gate sheepe at the other fish and at the third horses were sold The oldgate was so called because it was supposed to haue remained from the time of the Iebusites and not to haue beene destroyed by the Assyrians it was neare Caluarie and without this gate Christ was crucified Concerning the other gates little is spoken Touching the gates of the Temple there were c R. Iuda in l. Musar vid. druâ—â—i praeterit Ioan. 9. 22. two of principall note both built by Solomon the one for those that were new maried the other for mourners and excommunicate persons The mourners were distinguished from the excommunicate persons by hauing their lip couered with a skirt of their garment none entred that gate with their lip vncouered but such as were excommunicate Now the Israelites which on the Sabboth daies sate betweene those gates said vnto the new maried Hee whose name dwelleth in this house glad thee with children vnto the mourner Hee which dwelleth in this house glad and comfort thee vnto the excommunicate Hee which dwelleth in this house moue thy heart to hearken to the words of thy fellowes Among the Iewes the gates were places of chiefest strength so that they being taken or defended the whole citie was taken or defended and they were chiefe places of iurisdiction for in them Iudges were wont to sit and to decide controuersies hence proceeded those phrases The gates of hell shall not preuaile against c. And Thy seede shall possesse the gates of his enemies CHAP. IV. Of their groues and high places THe ancient Heathens did not onely not build Temples a Hospin de Orig. Templ p. 1. but they held it vtterly vnlawfull so to doe The reason of this might be because they thought no Temple spatious enough for the Sunne which was their chiefe God Hence came that saying b Alex. ab Alex. l. 2. c. 22. Mundus vniuersus est templum Solis The whole world is a Temple for the Sunne Moreouer they thought it vnfit to streighten and confine the supposed infinitenesse of their fancied Deities within walls and therefore when after times had brought in the vse of Temples yet their God Terminus and diuers others of their Gods were worshipped in Temples open roofed which were therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This I take to be the reason why they made choise of hills and mountaines as the conuenientest places for their Idolatry These consecrated hills are those high places which the Scripture so often forbids Afterwards as the number of their Gods increased so the number of their consecrated hills was multiplied from which their Gods and Goddesses tooke their names as Mercurius Cyllenius Venus Erycina Iupiter Capitolinus At length to beautifie these holy hills the places of their idolatrous worship they beset them with trees and hence came the consecration of groues and woods from which their Idolls many times were named c Populus Alcidae gratissima vitis Iaccho Formosae myrtus Veneri sua Laurea Phoebâ— Virg. Eclog. 7. At last some choise and select trees began to be consecrated d Plin. nat hist lib. 16. cap. 44. Those French Magi termed Dryadae worshipped the Oake in Greeke termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thence had their names The Etrurians worshipped an Holme tree And e Maximus Tyrius Serm. 38. fol. 225. edit Steph. amongst the Celtae a tale Oake was the very Idoll or image of Iupiter Among the Israelites this Idolatry began vnder the Iudges Othniel and Ehud Iudges 3. 7. and at the last it became so common in Israel that they had peculiar Priests whom they termed Prophets of the groue 1 King 18. 19. and Idolls of the groue that is peculiar Idolls vnto whom their groues were consecrated 2 King 21. 7. 2 Chron. 15. 16. As Christians in the consecration of their Churches make speciall choise of some particular Saints by whose names they call them as Saint Peters Church Sainâ— Pauls Saint Andrews c. So they consecrated their groues vnto particular Idolls whence in profane authors we reade of Diana Nemorensis Diana Arduenna Albunea Dea all receiuing their names from the groues in which they were worshipped yea the Idoll it selfe is sometimes called by the name of a groue Iosiah brought out the groue from the house of the Lord 2 King 23. 6. It is probable that in this Idoll was pourtraied the forme and similitude of a groue and thence was called a groue as those siluer similitudes of Dianaes Temple made by Demetrius were termed Temples of Diana Act. 19. 24. CHAP. V. Their cities of Refuge THese places of Refuge appointed by God differed from those of Hercules and Romulus and other Heathens because God allowed safety onely to those who were guiltlesse in respect of their intention but the others were common sanctuaries as well for the guilty as the guiltlesse If any man did fortuitously or by chance kill another man in such a case liberty was granted vnto the offender to fly at first vnto the Altar for refuge as is implied by that text of Scripture If any man come presumptuously vpon his neighbour to slay him with guile thou shalt take him from mine Altar Exod. 21. 14. Yea we may coniecture this custome of refuge to haue continued in force alwaies by the practise of Ioab 1 Kings 2. 28. Notwithstanding least the Altar might be too farre distant from the place where the fact might be committed it is probable that therefore God ordeined certaine Asyla or cities of refuge which for the same reason are thought to haue beene a R. Salom. Iarchâ— Deut. 19. 3. equally distant one from the other in Canaan These cities were in number six Bezer of the Reubenites countrey Ramoth in Gilead of the Gadites and Golan in Bashan of the Manassites These three Moses separated beyond Iordan Deut. 4. 41. 43. The other three appointed by Ioshua in the land of Canaan were Cadesh in Galile in mount Naphtali Shechem in Ephraim and Kirath-arba which is Hebron in the mountaine of Iudah Iosh 20. 7. Three other cities of like nature God promised the Israelites vpon condition of their obedience after their coasts were enlarged but it seemeth their disobedience hindred the
accomplishment thereof for Scripture mentioneth not the fulfilling of it Concerning these cities the Hebrews note from these words Thou shalt prepare the way Deut. 19. 3. That the Senate or Magistrates in Israel were bound to prepare the waies to the cities of Refuge and b Maimon in Rotsach c. 8. §. 5. to make them fit and broad and to remoue out of them all stumbling blocks and obstacles and they suffered not any hill or dale to be in the way nor water-streames but they made a bridge ouer it that nothing might hinder him that fled thither And the breadth of the way to the cities of Refuge was not lesse than thirty two Cubits and at the partitions of the waies they set vp in writing Refuge Refuge that the manslayer might know and turne thitherward On the fifteenth of the moneth Adar or February euery yeare the Magistrates sent out messengers to prepare the waies Furthermore it was prouided that two or three wise men should bee imploied to perswade the Auenger of bloud if haply he did persue the manslayer on the way that he should offer no violence vntill the cause were heard and examined The manner of examination was thus the consistory or bench of Iustices who liued in that quarter where the murder was commited c Paul Fag Num. 35. 6. placed the party being brought backe from the citie of Refuge in the court or iudgement Hall and diligently enquired and examined the cause who if he were found guilty of voluntary murder then was he punished with death but if otherwise the fact were found casuall then did they safely conduct the party backe againe to the citie of Refuge where hee enioyed his liberty not onely within the walls of the city but within certaine territories and bounds of the city being confined to such and such limits vntil the death of the high Priest that was in those daies at what time it was lawfull for the offender to returne and come vnto his owne city and vnto his owne house euen vnto the citie from whence he fled Iosh. 20. 6. By this meanes the offender though hee was not punished with death yet he liued for the time a kinde of exile for his owne humiliation and for the abatement of his wrath who was the Auenger of bloud d Masius in Ios cap. 20. The Areopagitae had a proceeding against casuall manslaughter not much vnlike punishing the offender 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an yeares bannishment why the time of this exilement was limited to the death of the high Priest at that time is not agreed vpon by expositors But it is most probably thought that the offender was therefore confined within that citie as within a prison during the high Priests life e Masius ibid. because the offence did most directly strike against him as being amongst men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ac princeps sanctitatis the chiefe God on earth THE THIRD BOOKE TREATETH OF DAIES and Times CHAP. I. Their Daies Houres Weekes and Yeares BEfore wee treat of their feasts it will be needfull by way of Preface to vnderstand somewhat concerning the diuisions of their dayes houres weekes c. Their day was two-fold Naturall conteining day and night and consisting of twenty foure houres or Artificiall beginning at Sunne rising and ending at Sunne set Of this is that Are there not twelue houres in the day Ioh. 11. 9. The Naturall day was againe twofold Ciuill a working day which was destined for ciuill businesses and works this began at Sunne rising and held till the next Sunne rising Matt. 28. 1. or Sacred a festiuall or holiday destined for holy exercises this began at Sunne set and continued till the next Sunne set Their night was diuided into foure quarters or greater houres termed foure watches each watch containing three lesser houres The first they called Caput vigiliarum the beginning of the watches Lament 2. 19. The second was the middle watch Iudges 7. 19. not so termed because there were onely three watches as a Drus Iudic. 7. 19. Drusius would perswade but because it dured till midnight The third watch began at midnight and held till three of the clocke in the morning If he come in the second or third Watch Luke 12. 38. The last called the morning Watch Exod. 14. 24. beganne at three of the clocke and ended at six in the morning In the fourth Watch of the night Iesus went out vnto them Matt. 14. 25. These watches also were called by other names according to that part of the night which closed each watch The first was termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Enen The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Midnight The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cock-Crowing And the fourth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Dawning Yee know not when the Master of the house will come at Euen or at Midnight or at Cock-crowing or at the Dawning Mark 13. 35. The day was likewise diuided into foure quarters as appeareth by the parable of the Labourers hired into the vineyard Mat. 20. The first quarter began at six of the clocke in the morning and held till nine The second quarter ended at twelue of the clocke The third quarter at three in the afternoone The fourth quarter at six of the night The first quarter was called the third houre vers 3. The second quarter the sixth houre verse 5. The third quarter the ninth houre vers 5. The last quarter the eleuenth houre vers 6. Where note that the three first quarters had their names from that houre of the day which closed the quarter for they began the count of their lesser houres from six a clocke in the morning and our 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. 1 2 3 4 5 6. was their 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. onely the last was called the eleuenth houre by our Sauiour Christ whereas among the common people it either was called or should haue beene called by proportion with the rest the twelfth houre to intimate vnto vs that though God in his mercy accept labourers into his vineyard eleuen houres of the day yet he seldome calleth any at the twelfth for that is rather an houre to discharge seruants than to admit new Some expositors finding mention of the dawning of the day in this parable verse 1. b Erat autem primus ternarius à prima vsque ad tertiam dicebatur prima hora secundus erat a tertia vsque ad Sextam dicebatur hora tertia tertius erat à sexta vsque ad nonam dicebatur sexta quartus à nona vsque ad vâ—imani quae 〈◊〉 diceb tui nona Resellit hanc opinionem Tol. tus receptam licet a multis recentiorum vt ipse ait quoniam de vndecima cuiua memiâ—â—t parabola altum apud hos silâ—nâ—um Iure vapuâ—aâ—t à te Tolâ—te qui excludunt vndecimam constanter tamen asserenda est contra te qâ—adripartita dici diuisio in hoc
Praeter tense When my Master went into the house of Rimmon the sense appeares to be a pardon craued for sinnes past not afterward to bee committed The same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bebho in going is put to expresse the time past in the titles of the Psalmes 52. and Psal 54. Thirdly Nebo otherwise called Nabo an Idoll of the Assyrians Ier. 48. 1. Hee had his name from prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nabhi signifying a Prophet he seemeth not much to differ from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so often mentioned in Homer g Diodor. Sicul. l. 5. 72. Diodorus Siculus maketh them both one and we may render Nebo the Assyrians Ammon or Iupiter Vaticinus the god of their Oracles CHAP. VIII The seuerall manners of diuine Reuelation AS Idolatrie originally sprang from mistaking of Scripture so witchcraft and sorcery which holdeth neare affinity with Idolatry seemeth to haue had its first beginning from an imitation of Gods Oracles God spake in diuers manners Heb. 1. 1. By dreames by Vrim by Prophets 1 Sam. 28. 6 7. when the Lord would by none of these answer King Saul then he sought to a Witch To these might be added Gods speaking from betweene the Cherubims his answering by Visions Angells and voices but the chiefe manners of reuealing himselfe obserued by the Hebrew writers are foure which they terme a P. Fagius in Exod 28. foure degrees of prophecie or diuine reuelation somewhat therefore being spoken of these I purpose to explaine the seuerall sorts of vnlawfull diuinations mentioned in Scripture The first degree was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nebuah Prophecy This was when God did by certaine visions and apparitions reueale his will The second was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruach Hakodesch The inspiration of the Holy Ghost whereby the party was inabled without visions or apparitions to prophecy some shewing the difference betweene these two b D. Kimchi praefut in Ps adde that the gift of prophecie did cast a man into a trance or extrasie all his senses being taken from him but the inspiration of the Holy Ghost was without any such extasie or abolition of the senses as appeareth in Iob Dauid Daniel Both these degrees as likewise Vrim and Thummim ceased in the second Temple whence their ancient Doctors say c Talmud in Sanhedrin c. 1. that after the latter Prophets Haggai Zacharie and Malachie were dead the holy Ghost went vp or departed from Israel Howbeit they had the vse of a voice or Eccho from heauen In which speech we are not to vnderstand that the Holy Ghost wrought not at all vpon the creatures or that it wrought not then in the sanctification of men as in former times but that this extraordinary enabling men to prophesie by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost then ceased and in this sense the Holy Ghost was said to haue departed from Israel Vnto this common receiued opinion that passage might haue reference Acts 19. We haue not so much as heard whether there hath beene an holy Ghost or no. That they did not doubt the distinction of persons appeareth cleare if that be true which d P. Fagius in Exod. 28. some haue noted that the ancient Iewes before Christ were so catechised in that point that they obserued the mystery of the Tranity in the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehouah for though the name consisted of foure letters in number whence it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quadriliterum yet there were but three sorts of letters in the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iod signified the Father who was the beginning of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vau is a coniunction copulatiue and denoted the third person in Trinity which proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He signified the Sonne of God The Rabbines haue a saying that God made all things In litera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He. They may allude to this that hee made all things by his word he said Let there be thus and thus and it was so but they may also allude to the second person in Trinity And furthermore they note that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is doubled in this name to demonstrate both natures of our blessed Sauiour The third degree was Vrim and Thummim Vrim signifieth light and Thummim perfection That they were two ornaments in the high-Priests brest-plate is generally agreed vpon but what manner of ornaments or how they gaue answer is hard to resolue e Ioseph antiq l. 3. cap. 9. Some thinke them to bee the foure rowes of stones in the brest-plate the splendor and brightnesse of which foreshewed victory and by the rule of contraries we may gather that the darknesse of the stones not shining presaged euill f R. Solomon quēadmodum refort D. Kimchi in radic Others say it was the name Iehouah put in the doubling of the brest-plate for that was double Exod. 28. 16. g Talmud in Ionah cap. 6. vid. P. Fagium in Exod 28. Others declare the manner of consulting with Vrim and Thummim thus First they say that onely the King or else the * Abbeth din. Father of the Consistory had power to consult or to propose the matter vnto the Priest and the Priest onely had power to resolue Secondly that the matter proposed must not be triuiall but of moment and great difficulty Thirdly that this holy writing termed Vrim and Thummim consisted of all the Tribes names and likewise of the Patriarchs Abraham Isaak and Iacob so that no letter of the Alphabet was wanting The question being proposed Some say that the letters which gaue the answer were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. they did arise and eminently appeare aboue the others An example they take from the 2 Sam. 2. 1. When Dauid asked the Lord Shall I goe vp into any of the cities of Iudah The Lord answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gnaleh goe vp Here say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appeared out of the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schimeon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehudah Others say that the letters which represented the Oracle were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. that they did after a strange manner ioyne themselues into perfect syllables and intire words and made the answer compleat Many other opinions might bee reckoned vp but h R. Dauid in radic he spoke best who ingenuously confessed that hee knew not what Vrim and Thummim was The fourth degree was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bath Kol Filia vocis the daughter of a voice or an Eccho by it is meant a voice from heauen declaring the will of God it tooke place in the second Temple when the three former degrees of prophecy ceased it gaue testimony of our Sauiour Loe a voice from heauen saying That is my beloued sonne
ad â—ccendeâ—dos militum animos facit Terugnah Secâ—ndly one Priest was selected out of the rest to stir vp the hearts of the people and by a kinde of hortatory Oration to encourage them for the warre Deut. 20. 2. him they called Vnctum belli The anointed of the battle Thirdly they marched on by fiue and fiue in battle aray Exod. 13. 18. so the m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 originall signifieth in that place In the last place wee are to consider how they were to deale in besieging a Towne for the conceiuing whereof note these two propositions 1. They were to offer peace vnto all forreiners and Canaanites Deut. 20. 10. And this is cleerely signified Iosh 11. 19. There was not a Citie that made peace with the children of Israel saue the Hiuites the inhabitants of Gibeon all other they tooke in battell For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts Yet here Moab and Ammon are excepted Israel must not seeke their peace Deut 23. 6. 2. They were to make a couenant with none of the seuen Nations Deut. 7. 2. Exod. 23. 32. 34. 14. With forreiners they might Iosh 9. 7. peraduenture you dwell among vs and how shall we make a couenant with you Not how shall wee make peace with you Some may question what the difference was betweene making peace and making a couenant I answer twofold 1. The making of peace was a naked stipulation or promise mutually made for the laying aside of all hostile affections towards each other whereby life on both sides might be secured Making a couenant was a solemne binding of each other to performance of this mutuall promise by outward ceremonies of n Haec est causacur Hebraei Faedus faecere dicant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i Diuâ—dere aut dissecare faedus quemadmodum apud Latinus dicitur Percutere faedus quae locutiâ— flâ—xit abantiqâ—o faederis faciendi more Sacerdos eâ—imferâ—ebat porcum silâ—ce dicens Sic à Ioue fertatâ—â— is qui sanctum hoc fregerit faeduâ— vt ego hunc pâ—râ—um ferio Liuius Decad. 1. lib. 1. p. 7. cutting a beast in twaine and passing betweene the parts thereof Ier. 34. 18. as if they would say Thus let it be done to him and thus let his body be cut in two who shall breake this couenant Secondly peace was not concluded by the Israelites but onely vpon these termes that the people should become tributary vnto them Deut. 20. 11. The making of a couenant was vpon equall termes without any condition either of tribute or seruice as is gatherable from the couenant made by Ioshua with the Gibeonites where there is no mention of any condition at all Iosh 9. This difference seemeth to me warrantable and serueth to reconcile many places of Scripture as where God saith offer peace to all and make a couenant with none Secondly it sheweth the fraud of the Gibeonites to be greater than is commonly conceiued for they sought not peace simply but a couenant Make a league with vs Iosh 9. 6. Thirdly it salueth that common obiection made in defense of vnaduised oathes to proue them obligatory though vnlawfull The argument is framed thus The couenant which Ioshua made with the Gibeonites vnaduisedly was vnlawfull but that was obserued by him and the breach thereof when Saul â—lew the Gibeonites punished by God 2 Sam. 21. 1. Therefore c. I say it salueth that obiection because if we diligently obserue Ioshuahs practise we shall finde vnaduised oathes to be so farre and onely so farre binding as they agree with Gods word Gods word required that the Gibeonites should haue their liues secured because they accepted peace thus farre therefore the couenant was still of force Gods word required that the Canaanites after the acceptation of peace should become tributary here the couenant was not of force and therefore Ioshua made them hewers of wood and drawers of water which is a kinde of tribute in the language of the Scripture a tribute of the body though not of the purse in which sense the Egyptian taskemasters are in the originall called tribute-masters Exod. 1. 11. CHAP. IX Their Measures MEasures in vse among the Hebrewes and so among all other Nations they are of two sorts some Mensurae applicationis Measures of application as a span a cubit a yard and the like Secondly Mensurae capacitatis Measures of capacity as pints quarts pecks bushels c. Measures of application mentioned in Scripture are these that follow in which that there might be no deceit the ground of these measures was the breadth of so many or so many barly cornes midle sized laid by one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etsbang Digitus A singer an inch a Arias Montaâ— Thubal Cain It containeth the breadth of six barly cornes ioyned together where they are thickest though in round reckoning it goeth for an inch yet in accurat speaking * Quatuor digiti constituunt tres pollices Franc. Iumus in Ezek. 40. 5. foure fingers make three inches Of this there is mention Ier. 52. 21. Palmus this was twofold Palmus minor and Palmus maior The lesser containeth the breadth of foure fingers i three inches the Hebrews terme it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tophach the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greater is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zereth by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Spithama Dodrans It containeth the measure that is betweene the thumbe and the little finger stretcht out A spanne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pagnam Pes A foot It containeth b Quatuor palmos scil minores Pet. Martyr 1 Reg. c. 6. twelue inches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amma Cubitus A cubit We shall finde in Authors mention of foure kinds of cubits 1. Cubitus communis this was the measure from the elbow to the fingers end it contained a foot and halfe or halfe a yard it is called the commmoncubit 2. Cubitus sacer An holy cubit this was a full yard containing two of the common cubits as appeareth by comparing 1 King 7. 15. with 2 Chron. 3. 15. In the first place the pillars are reckoned each of them eighteene cubits high in the second place they are reckoned fiue and thirty cubits high which together with the basis being one ordinary cubit high doubleth the number so that the first text is to be vnderstood of holy cubits the second of common cubits 3. Cubitus regis the Kings cubit this was c Herodot lib. 2. in descript Babyl three fingers longer then the common cubit Whereas the common cubit is termed cubitus viri the cubit of a man Deut. 3. 11. Onkelos doth improperly terme it cubitus regis the Kings cubit Lastly there was cubitus geometricus A Geometricall cubit it contained six common cubits d Origen hom 2. in Genes It. August de ciuitat Dei lib. 15. cap. 27. and according to these cubits it is thought that Noahs Arke was built Some make the